Ex-Leverkusen player scores as Women narrowly beaten at Wolfsburg

Three weeks on from the 1-0 defeat against TSG Hoffenheim, Pätzold made two changes to his starting line-up. Claudia Wenger and Ruby Grant replaced Juliette Vidal and Kristin Kögel, who missed out due to injury. Sofie Zdebel captained the side from the start in a competitive match for the first time.

levels haunts former club

In contrast to the crushing 5-1 defeat in the reverse fixture, when Bayer 04 had two players sent off, the Werkself were wide awake from the start this time - and had the first big chance with less than two minutes played. Fudalla set up her strike partner Cornelia Kramer after a run down the left, whose toe-poke from five metres was pushed onto the bar by goalkeeper Stina Johannes. Instead it was the hosts who opened the scoring in the lively opening exchanges, when none other than ex-Leverkusen player Janou Levels curled an unstoppable shot into the right corner from about 20 metres. With the lead, VfL took control of the game and Leverkusen had to regroup. Wolfsburg had a good opportunity to make it 2-0 in the 17th minute when Justine Kielland played in Kessya Bussy with a precise through ball, but she was thwarted by Rafaela Borggräfe. 

Pätzold's side gradually worked their way back into the game and had the second-placed hosts pinned back in their own half at times. However, no real chances emerged from it, Loreen Bender's shot over the bar their best attempt. At the other end, Borggräfe again kept the score at 1-0 with a good reflex save against Caitlin Dijkstra one-v-one. Despite the visitors having most of the play, it was Wolfsburg who had the better chances and Alexandra Popp had the third promising opportunity for a second goal shortly before half-time, but her first-time finish just missed the right post.

Piljic close to wonder goal

After the restart, the Werkself immediately settled back into the opponent’s half, but time and again they lacked the spark in the final third. It was ultimately a spectacular strike by Katharina Piljic that gave Leverkusen a taste of an equaliser. Much like her wonder goal to make it 2-2 in the derby against 1. FC Köln last October, the midfielder took aim from the halfway line on the counterattack. The ball dipped over Johannes, who was positioned far off her goal, and landed just centimeters wide of the right post. On 64 minutes, Pätzold made a double substitution with Julia Mickenhagen and Valentina Mädl coming on for Wenger and Bender. Three minutes later, Fudalla missed the equaliser with a volley that went wide of the target. The next chance fell to substitute Mädl, but she was blocked by Johannes as she tried to get her head on Grant's cross.

It was in the middle of this period of pressure from Leverkusen that the She-Wolves struck the decisive blow. From a Svenja Huth corner, Popp pulled away and headed past Borggräfe to make it 2-0 in the 78th minute. There was no way back from that for the visitors, although they did reduce the deficit in the 93rd minute through Fudalla's 13th goal of the season.

up next: jena at home

The Werkself are back in action at the same time next week, Sunday 22 March at 18:30 CET. FC Carl Zeiss Jena are the visitors to the Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion.

Match stats:

VfL Wolfsburg: Johannes - Linder (Pujols 86'), Dijkstra, Bergsvand, Levels (Bjelde 69') - Kielland (Beerensteyn 69'), Minge - Huth (Zicai 86'), Peddemors, Bussy (Endemann 62') - Popp

Bayer 04: Borggräfe - Wenger (Mickenhagen 64'), Ostermeier, Turanyi (Coskun 90'), Wamser - Piljic, Zdebel (Daedelow 90') - Bender (Mädl 64'), Grant - Kramer, Fudalla

Goals: 1-0 Levels (5'), 2-0 Popp (78'), 2-1 Fudalla (90'+3)

Yellow cards: Popp, Zicai / Bender

Referee: Annika Kost (Schwerte)

Attendance: 2,427 at the AOK Stadion